Botswana – Employer of Record

Globalization Partners provides employer of record services for clients that want to hire employees and run payroll without first establishing a branch office or subsidiary in Botswana. Your candidate is hired via Globalization Partners’ Botswana PEO in accordance with local labor laws and can be onboarded in days instead of the months it typically takes. The individual is assigned to work on your team, working on your company’s behalf exactly as if he or she were your employee to fulfill your in-country requirements.

Our Global Employer of Record Platform™ and Global PEO service enables clients to run payroll in Botswana while HR services, tax, and compliance management matters are lifted from their shoulders onto ours. As a Global PEO expert, we manage employment contract best practices, statutory and market norm benefits, and employee expenses, as well as severance and termination if required. We also keep you apprised of changes to local employment laws in Botswana.

Your new employee is productive sooner, has a better hiring experience and is 100% dedicated to your team. You’ll have peace of mind knowing you have a team of dedicated employment experts assisting with every hire. Globalization Partners allows you to harness the talent of the brightest people in 150 countries around the world, quickly and painlessly.

Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Only 2 million people live in Botswana, making it one of the least densely populated countries in the world. Its GDP is USD 17.22 billion, but declined in 2014 by 1.9%. Botswana’s unemployment rate is 20%, and its major exports include diamonds, copper and nickel, beef, and textiles.

When negotiating terms of an employment contract and offer letter with an employee in Botswana, it may be useful to keep the following in mind:

Public Holidays in Botswana

Botswana celebrates 8 national holidays:

New Year’s Day

Good Friday

Easter Monday

Labour Day

President’s Day

Day Following President’s Day

Botswana Day

Christmas Day

Working Hours in Botswana

In general, the work week is limited to 48 hours, with no more than 9 hours per day for a 5-day week, or 8 hours per day for a 6-day week.

Employees are limited to 14 hours of overtime per week and are eligible for 1 1/2 times their normal hourly rate. Work on public holidays or rest time should be paid at twice the normal wage rate.

Vacation in Botswana

Employees are generally entitled to 15 days of paid leave per year, 8 days of which must be taken within 6 months. The remaining days must be taken within 3 years.

Sick Leave in Botswana

Employees are generally entitled to 20 days of paid sick leave per year and must provide a doctor’s certificate.

Maternity/Paternity Leave in Botswana

Female employees are generally entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave, 6 weeks to be taken before the birth and 6 after. The employee must present a doctor’s certificate. Employees are eligible to receive at least 50% of their basic pay.

There is no statutory paternity leave.

Termination/Severance in Botswana

Unskilled employees may serve a probationary period of up to three months and skilled employees 12 months. Termination of an employee during the probationary period does not require a reason. The probationary terms must be provided to the employee in writing before employment begins.

Both the employee and the employer may terminate the employment contract. Minimum notice, equivalent to the wage period, must be given or pay in lieu, unless the employee was guilty of serious misconduct, no notice is needed.

Managers, administrators, executives, and professional staff are generally entitled to severance after serving 60 months of continuous employment. The payment is equal to the rate of one day’s basic pay for each month served during the first 60 months and two days for each additional month served. Employees who receive a gratuity or pension at the end of employment are not entitled to the severance benefit.

Taxes in Botswana

There are no payroll or social security taxes in Botswana.

Health Insurance in Botswana

Botswana has a universal healthcare system. Private health insurance is available but is not widely used.

Employment Contracts in Botswana

While it is not legally required to put a written employment contract in place in Botswana, it is best practice. The contract should be in the local language and should spell out the terms of the employee’s compensation, benefits, and termination requirements. An offer letter and employment contract in Botswana should always state the salary and any compensation amounts in pula rather than foreign currency.

This information is provided as general accepted information and is not intended as advisory services.

Why Globalization Partners

Establishing a branch office or subsidiary in Botswana to engage a small team is time-consuming, expensive and complex. Botswana’s labor law has strong worker protections, requiring great attention to detail and an understanding of local best practices. Globalization Partners makes it painless and easy to expand into Botswana. We can help you hire your candidate of choice, handle HR matters and payroll, and ensure that you’re in compliance with local laws, without the burden of setting up a foreign branch office or subsidiary. Our Botswana PEO and Global Employer of Record Platform provides you peace of mind so that you can focus on running your business.

If you would like to discuss how Globalization Partners can provide a seamless employee leasing or PEO solution for hiring employees in Botswana, please contact us.

This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, nor should you rely on it for, legal, tax, or accounting advice in any jurisdiction. You should consult your own legal, tax, and accounting advisors as part of your expansion plans.